Display machine



April 22, 1930. H. ARMSTRONG 1,755,761

DISPLAY MACHINE Filed Oct. 31, '1928 11 Sheets-Sheet l HENRY ARMSTRONG. 2 5 INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS,

Filed 001:. 31, 1928 11 Sheets-Sheet 2 HENRY ARMSTRONG.

INVENTOR.

B I I a By g a/fl A TTORNEYS April 22, 1930. H. ARMSTRONG 1,755,761

DISPLAY MACHINE Filed Oct. 51, 1928 ll Sheets-Sheet 5 M Q 104 a J \24 0 i':

@ 0 O0 0 I 45 HENRY ARMSTRONG.

INVENTORv J 'IBI y Q Q ATTORNEYS.

April 22, 1930. H. ARMSTRONG" DI SPLAY MACHINE Filed on. 51, 1928 11 Shets-Sheet 4 HENRY ARMSTRONG.

INVENTOR.

ATTORNEYS,

April 22, 1930. H. ARMSTRONG 71,755,761

4 DISPLAY MACHINE Filed Oct. 51, 1.928 11 Sheets-Sheet 5 April 22, 1930. v H. ARMSTRONG 1,755,761

' DISPLAY MACHINE Filed Oct. 31, 1928 11 Sheets-Sheet 6 H ENRY ARMSTRONG.

I N V EN TOR.

A TTORNEYS.

H. ARMSTRONG DISPLAY MACHINE April 22, 1930.

Filed 00%. 31, 1928 11 Sheets-Sheet HENRY ARMSTRONG.

INVENTOR.

A TTORNEYS.

April 22, 1930. H. ARMSTRONG 7 1,755,761

DISPLAY MACHINE Filed Oct. 51, 1928 11 Sheets-Sheet 8 H EN RY ARMSTRONG.

l N VEN TOR.

A TTORNEY5 April 22, 1930. H. ARMSTRONG 1,755,761

' DISPLAY MACHINE Filed Oct. 31, 1928 11 Sheets-Sheet 9 H ENRY ARMSTRONG I N VEN TOR.

ATTORNEY-5.

April 22, 1930. H. ARMSTRONG 1, 55,761

I DISPLAY MACHINE Filed Oct. 51, 1928 11 Sheets-Sheet l0 3 HENRY ARMSTRONG.

lNVEN-TOR.

April 22, 1930. H. ARMSTRONG 1,7 5,761

DISPLAY MACHINE Filed Oct. 31, 1928 11 Sheets-Sheet l1 3 HENRY ARMSTRONG.

INVEN TOR.

A TTORNEY5,

Patented Apr. 22, 1930 HENRY nnMsrnoNe, or sYnAcusn, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR ro 'rnn-o. M. EDWARDS COMPANY, INC., on SYRACUSE, new Yon-K, a, CORPQRATION or new YORK DISPLAY MACHINE Application filed. October 31, 1928. Serial No. 316,192.

- matter, display curtains, pictures, scenes and the like. I V

Ithas particular reference to that class of inventions embodying aplurality of display curtain supporting rolls which are successively traversed in pairs, behind a curtain roll unrolling and'rollmg up action conceallng bar, across a display area, the display curtains being so disposed that one is being un-' rolled over the display area from d of one roll in transit while the display curtain previously exhibited is being rolled up on the associated roll in transit and removed from the display area, providing the illusion that one display curtain disappears into the other.

The object of my'invention is to provide a machine of this character whereby the illu sion or the display curtain roll unrolling and rolling up action concealing bars traverse the display area in one direction only and in which the display curtains are brought into view at one side ofthe display area, extend thereacross, and are subsequently obliterated in thesame direction in which they appear to extend into view across the display area.

In describing this invention, referencezis' hand side of the machine, taken substantially in the plane denoted by the line -5 .in

Figure 1, illustrating part of the frame struc-' ture and display curtain roll carriage track, together w1th aetuatlng and 'escapement mechanism, and showing approximately one actuator block inthe position occupied'approximately at the end of the rewinding movementof one of the display curtains, the

position of the display curtain roll carriage being depicted in chain lines,

Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 5 showing the position of one of the actuator blocks just prior to'inoving into int'erlocking'or coupling engagement with one of the display curtain roll carriages preliminary to transit of the latter across the display area.

Figure 7 is a View similar to Figure 5 shOW- ing the positionof one of the actuator'blocks while releasing one unit of escapement mechanism'employed for holding the display eurtain roll carriages at the entrance to the display area.

Figure'8 is a similar view showing the po sition of one of the actuator blocks just after it has interlocked with a display curtain roll carriage and the latter is about to be ad vanced across the display area.

Figure 9 is an enlarged fragmentary transverse section of part of the frame structure, as it would apear when taken on the plane designated by the lines 99 on Figures 1 and 8, illustrating the display curtainroll' track and display curtain roll carriage actuating and escapem'ent mechanism, the latter in the former figure being in different position to that shown in the present view.

Figure 10 is a plan view, partly broken away, of one of the display curtain roll car riages. a

Figure 11 is a front sectional elevation of the construction shown in Figure 10, one of the display tion. I

' Figure 12 is a cross section of the display curtain 'roll' carriages, on line 1212, Figure 11. I

Figures 13 and 14 are diagrammatic views looking tothe left and right respectively illustrating the unwinding and rewind-ing' operations of the curtain rolls, the same being shown in the positions occupied at the entrance and ezit'of the display area and the entrance and exit of the return path or re-v winding area.

curtain rolls being shown in sec} Figures 15, and 16 are diagrammatic views 1 similar to Figures 13 and 1% illustrating the position of the curtain rolls while traversing the display and rewinding areas.

Figures 17 and 18 are elevations taken at a right angle to each other of one of the actuator blocks Figure lllis asectional view on line 1919, Figure 17.

Throughout the following specification and claims, theyterm' curtain is intended to inr elude any form of advertising display matter, pictures, scenes, and the like or equivalents which may be mounted on or connected" indirectly to the supportin rolls therefor,

and the latter component's'witli the object of brevity. in 1' view are designated; by the term rolls,

This? machine comprises a plurality ofpairs ofi rolls movable'in a closed cycle of movement in one-direction. across a display area, path iorspace,.and in the opposite directionacrossa return area, path, or space remote fromgthe display area, path or space baekto starting position; a curtain winding nected to the second rollof the neXt preceding pair, of rolls, wherebywhen a pair of rolls-,moyes across-the display area, the. curtaiu-unwinds from the-first'roll and is spread 30,outoventhedisplay, area, and after the pair of 'roll'szhas, traversed the, display area, the curtain is wound on the second roll of the preceding 2 pair of: rolls. during 1 movement -:of

saidprecedi-ng pair, across \thedisplay area;

? means whereby. the curtain is rewound from the second rolliof one pair of rollsiontoithe first roll of the preceding pair of-rolls duringmovement, of the pairs of rolls across the return ,area, path or -space, mechanism for in? termittently,actuating'the pairs of rolls or the carriageswtherefor,and stopping two of the pairsaofrolls 1 at. the, entrances and exits of: the r display and return areas while inter mediate pairs of rolls are moving across said ;v areas, andmeansfor timing or controlling 502 and ,rearisides of-the oblong being respectively thecurtain 1 display and return orrewindingg areasa 1 To facilitate comprehension of the struc tureand purposezofthe units and components ofithre invention, I'w-ill firstrefer to the cycle of'inovement of the pairs of rolls and the-curtains carried thereby, and subsequently to the invention in detail The-numerals 1 2 and Zdesignate, broadly Mathefirstandsecond, or the highand low-tenslmed-grolls ofzeach-pair. of rolls, and 3 the curtains connected at the endsthereofto the opposed rolls, of the several pairs of. rolls. Thus all Qfsaid pairs of rolls arez intercon- E nested byisaidcurtains in a closed series.

The display area heretofore referred to and designated at A comprises that portion of the front of the machine bounded at the top and bottom of the machine by the lines a-b and cd, the same extending transversely from lines ef to g7i. The structure shown is usually supported in a casehaving a glass covered front, the sides of which terminates substantially at the lines denoted. The aforesaid carriages-carry-ing said rollsl and 2 supporting the curtainsS traverse said display area in intermittent timed relation and successively exhibit the display matter on the curtains, in the following manner:

In Figure 13 a pair of rolls is shown at the entrance to the display area A, being desig nated atai A curtain 3 .ccnnectedto the second r0112 of said pair of rolls a is stretched across said display area and is connected at cits-lowerend to roll 1 of a pair of rollsb at the exit end of the display area A. In Figure 15, this pair of rolls a is'shown being advancedacrossthe display area A, the curtain 3 shown stretched across said display area in Figure 18 being Wound up on roll 2 of the pair of rolls a, while another curtain 3 is be- 7 ing unrolled from off of roll 1 of the pair of rolls a, the upper end thereof being connected to roll 2 of the pair ofrolls 0. Thus the upper-and lower ends of the two curtains extending into the display area A are stationary and the upper curtain is being unrolled acrossthe display area A. while the preceding curtain is being rolled up and removed from said display area. Both of said curtains ie in thesame plane and by means of an illusionbar, presently referred to, carried immediately forward of each pair of rolls, curtain roll unrolling and rolling up action is concealed from view and. the illusion that one curtain disappears into the other is produced.

The'pa-irs of rolls are actuated intermittently-iand successively in one direction across the display area A and in the opposite direction across the return or rewinding area B,

and timed escapement mechanism controlled bytroll carriage actuating mechanism, stops the pairs of rolls following and preceding the pairs of rolls moving across said display and rewinding areas at the'entrances and exits of said areas. During this successive intermittent movement, vthe pairs of rollscome-successively to the return or rewinding area B from the display area A and the curtains are wound on rolls 2 of the several pairs of rolls, andas-one pair of rolls is progressing across the rewindingarea I), roll 1 of that pair is held from movement-so that the curtain connecting it and the roll 2 of the next following pair; of rolls held at the entrance of the rewinding area B is unwound from the roll 2' of, the pair held at the entrance of said rewinding area, and when the pair whichis traversing,saidrewindmg area reaches the end thereof, roll 1 is released from its holding lid mechanism and is wound up by the winding I means therefor toagain wind the curtain 3 thereon as the following pair of rolls is progressing across sald 1'8W1I1Cl111g: area, so that the curtain is again wound up on roll 1 ready to be again unrolled therefrom and displayed when moved around to the entrance of the display area. Hence, the pairs of rolls move in a closed cycle, and are moved intermittently and successively across the curtain display and rewinding areas.

Rolls 1 and 2 consist of a barrel or tube 4 having collars 5secured inthe'ends thereof,

which are bored out to .retain annular typeball bearings 6 through which the spindles 7 extend. The bearings 6' are held inthe collars 5 by collars 8 secured to said spindles,

Coil springs 9. aremounted on saidspindles and are connected thereto at one end as at 10 and to collars 5 as at 11 at the other ends. These coil springs serve to rotate the barrels 4 of said rolls and wind or roll up the curtains 3;th ereupon. V

The spring 9 of the roll 1 of each pair of rolls may be made of heavier gauge wire than sprmg 9 in'each roll 2, so that'when said rolls are wound up, each be ng; rotated a corre'-' spending number of revolutions,tlie rolls 1 will exert approximately fifty percent 50%) greater windin torque than rolls 2. Under certain adaptations, such variation in roll winding torque mayalso beeifected by giving rollsl several morerevolutions than rolls 2 whenthe rolls are wound up manually preparatory to operation of them'achine. Rolls of high and low winding tension are required} to'effect proper timing actions for winding and unwinding. of the curtains as hereinafter disclosed.-

Rolls 1 and 2 are supported'by carriages comprising cast brackets 12 and 13 arranged at the ends thereof and secured to sheet metal channel shaped frame members 14 and 15 which are united in the form of an I beam and carry an illusion or curtain roll winding and unwinding action concealing bar 16 on the forward side thereof,that"is'to say the forward side when the roll carriages traverse the display area A.

ends of'said brackets. A collar 18 is'sec'ured toeach spindle 9 in close proximity to the redles 7' from turning.

duced end thereof by the rivetpin 19 and an arm 20 is fastened to each said collar.

19 carries a pin 21 at the side of the spin Each dle' 7 and said pins seat in end brackets 12'13. These pins serve to prevent the spin- The spindles 7 at the opposite ends thereof'may be secured between lugs 22 integral with brackets -12'13.

A ratchet 23 is mounted at the endof each roll 1 and 2 and these ratchets are engaged by pawls 24 pivoted at 25 to the arms 19;

Coil springs 26 supported by said: arms and engaging said pawls serve to tension the latter The spindles 9 are reduced. at one end as at 17 and seat in apertures inthe into engagement with the said ratchets.

Rollers 27 conveniently in the form of annular type of ball bearings are mounted on pins projecting laterally from said pawls. These rollers coact with tracks on-the frame structure of the machine hereinafter described and serve to intermittently release said pawls from said ratchets. Attention is invited to the fact that the teeth of the ratchets 23' on rolls 1 are milled in the opposite direction to the teeth on ratchets 23 on rolls 2; also that the pawls are disposedin opposite directions to coact' with said ratchets. Avcam 29 is 'mounted on the end of each roll 2 at the end thereof opposite ratchet 23. These cams serve to set the rolls 2 for proper exhibition of the'curtains 3.

llach bracket 12--13 is provided witha centrally located pin or trunnion generally indicated at 30,by means of which the roll carriages are engaged and traversed across the machine. Each trunnion may comprise a pin 31 mounted in: brackets 12-13 upon which a roller 32is free to rotate, being held in position by a washer 33- The trunnions '30 are disposed centrally intermediate pairs of roll- 7 ers 34, conveniently annular type ball bearings mounted on pins 35 extending from said brackets 1213. The trunnions 'and roll-- ers 34 are arranged in axial-alinement with rollers land 2 and said trunnions and rollers on each pair of brackets 1213 at the ends of each carriage are directly opposed in vertical alinement. Rollers, also annular type ballbearings indicated at 36, are mounted on brackets 12-13 substantially centrally thereof. The axes of these rollers are at right angles to the plane in which the axes of rollers 35 lie. These rollers bear against the track sections on the machine frame'structure later describech'and serve to prevent excessive longitudinal shifting of the roll carriages.-

The roll carriages described are nested about the endsof the machine frame structure in retaining magazines and are held in proper working spaced relations by means of the arcuate ends 37 on brackets 1213 which contact when the roll carriages are nested;

Note that these arcuate bracket ends 37 project a short distance beyond the peripheries of rollers 34 to permit free rotation of the latter-when the roll carriages are nested as shown in Figures 2 and 3. g a.

The rolls'and carriages described are supported in parallel relation on a frame struchaving opposed machined surfaces 4647 be'-.

- castings form endless track runs for the roll cessive longitudinal shiftingof twe'en whicli ro1lers34run'an'd against'which they bear. The front and reartrack runs" include pairs: of parallel spaced upright :bars: 48=49 connectedto or contiguous withthe' track end run" castings 4H5, so that the spacesbetween the bars of each pair'of bars and-the surfaces 46 -47 of the track end run machine, and the carriage actuating conveyorsin'part'icular, which are later described;

Referring now to Figure bearlng retainers5 lare mounted on the outer sides" ofithe plates bridging the upright bars 48j t9and these retainers support annular type'ball bearings not shown through which the line shaft 56 extends. Sprockets 57 and 58' a're keyed on this shaft near theends thereof,'in vertical alinement with sprockets5960 keyed on idler jack shafts 61-62, the latter being ournalled in annulartype ball bearings mountedin retainers 63 supported by bridge,

plates 64.

In Figures Q'and 3, it will be seen that the pitch diameters of the sprockets are tangent to'lines intersecting the centers of the'spaces intermediate the upright bars 48-49, and that the axes of these'spr'ockets lie intermediate end run castings 4 l45. In Figure 9, one sprocket 59 is shown in section. An-

annular shoulder 65' having side faces 6667 is formed on each sprocket. Laterally projecting annular flanges 68, 69 extend from the shoulder 65. These sprocket shoulder and flange surfaces provide guidingmeans for" the two U-shaped actuator blocks 70, 71

mounted in equi-distant spaced relation on each conveyor chain 72 and 73. are clearly shown in Figures 17118 and 19.

Each actuator block has side walls'z' t 75 terminating in fiat surfaces 76 at right angles 9 to the faces of the side walls 7 4, 7 'These side walls straddle the shoulder65 of said sprockets and the surfaces 7 6 of the former contact With and bear against the flanges 68, 69 of thelatter, which surface/s,- shoulders and flanges serve to guide the actuatorblocks- 70, 71 over said sprockets and prevent ex cessive' side wabble or tilting thereof, toenable entrance of said actuator blocks into Saidblocks qspe'ct to track bars 48, 49. 95, 96-are arranged in parallel spaced relaguidingi means therefor intermediate saidsprockets and presentlydescribed r The: actuaton blocks: 7 0, 71 are connected to -the: conveyor chains 72, 73 by meansof pins-77, 7-8 spaced fromthe-center pi-n79, distances: equal to thecenter distances of: a chain link: The outside diameters of pins 79 correspond with: the outside diameters of chain link: rollers, and these-pins serve asbymeans of a' key-pin 84; A shoulder in the form of t-WO4 rollers 84:, 85 is mounted on the end of-Ieach pin- 7 9 and a single roller 86is: mounted on the-opposite. end of each said pin.-= Another shoulder in the form of two rollers87, 88 is mounted-on thefree end of each arm82 in alinement with-rollers84, 85. A single roller 87 is mounted above roller 86, and two rollers-90, 91 are mounted with axes at right angles torollers 84:, 85, 86'an-d-89; Thusth'e actuator blocksare provided with hinged: arms carrying what may be broadly termedas-spaced apart shoulders which in efiect form a recess for receiving a roll' carriage trunnion or pin 30 at each end-of each roll carriage, oneof said shouldersof each'actuatorblock being shiftable to permit" the tr unnions-3O to be received to interlock therebetween and to pass out or escape from" between said shoulders, The arms 82 arenormally tensionedlaterally with respect'to-the actuator blocks 70, 71 as best shown in Figure 18, each by means ofa coil s rin 92 en a in extension 93 on each 23 b D t:

arm 82 andretained by pin-94s on each of said actuator blocks.

The rollers referred to serve to guide said actuator blocks when intr'ansit with said conveyor chains; actuate escapement mechanism and engage and'discharge roll carriages. Since these actuator blocks in performing these functions due to stresses'setup tend to tilt out of alinement with respect to, the conveyor'chains 72,73 and-the sprockets referred to it is necessaryto maintain alinement of the same withre'spect to roll carriage escapement mechanism and said sprockets over whichthey ride in reversing the direction of travel thereof. For this purpose,;vertical tracks are provided in the form of vertical bars arranged in parallel relation with re- A pair ofbars tion with and laterally of bars 48' to provide a track between and-receiveirollers 90, 91, bars 96 being in spaced relationwith respect to bars 48; A- pair of bars 97-, 98 are arranged in" parallel spaced relation to and laterally ofbars49, bars 98' beingspaced with respect to bars:4s9.l Theopposed surfacesf and-96 of bars 95 96 and 97 and 98 of bars 97, 98 provide tracks for rollers 84, 87, 88 and 89. In such instances where the bars 95eXtend above and below the. sprockets 57 58, 59 and 60, as herein shown, it is necessary to recess the upper ends of said bars adjacent therear track runs and the lower ends of said bars adjacent the front track runs, in a pathfat equal radial distances from the axes of said sprockets, as denoted in Figure 5 by the arc e-f, so that the rollers 89 on the actuator blocks 70, 71 will not be obstructed when the latter ride over said sprockets. These several bars are held in spaced relation by suitable means such as spacer pins 99 which extend therebetween, the. reduced ends 100 of which extend through and are riveted to said bars. The upper and lower ends of bars 48, 49 are bolted to the end run castings 44, 45 as at 101, which together with the bridge plates heretofore referred to, and the bridge plates 102',

provide a'very rigid track frame structure.

The upper and lowerends of the bars 97 of each said track section are arcuately formed at equal radial distances from the axes of the sprockets 57 58, 59 and 60, to permit the v rollers 86, 87 on actuator blocks 7 0,71 to ride over same, when running over said sprockets.

-vThe ends of bars 98 of each track section terminate in close proximity to and intermediate the axial centers of the aforesaid sprockets,

denoted by lines AB and G-D. The upper ends of the bars 98 arranged laterally of the track front runs terminate in the form of cams 103,.and the ends ofthe bars 98 arranged laterally of the rear track runs 41 are likewise formed. These cams constitute part ofthe roll carriage escapeinent mechanism. j

. Atth'e entrance tothe curtain display and V rewinding areas A and B, the roller carriages are retained by escapement mechanism arranged on each track section in transverse alinement. The samevmay be in I the form of detents 104 pivoted on pins 105 and articulated by pins 106to motion transmitting levers 107 pivoted at 108, the latter being provided with cam surfaces 107 which project into the said front and rear track runs into.

the paths of travel of the actuator block rollers 84. The free ends 109 of detents 104' extendinto said front and rear track runs into the paths of carriagetrunnions 30 and clear of the actuatorblock rollers 85, 86, be ing tensioned by means of coil springs 110 engaging extensions 111 thereon and by pins 112. Inward movement of the detents 104 is determined by pins 113 carried thereby which bear against stop pins 114 on the said track sections. I v

The free ends of the detents 104 extend to a point wherethey form abutments or stops for the roll carriagetrunnions 30 when the latter he in transverse axial alinement with axes of sprockets 57 58 59 and 60, This arrangement permits very accurate functioning of the actuator block arms 82. The acis shown at theeXit-end of the curtain rewinding area B, having discharged a curtain roll carriage into the magazine space thereabove. ;In this figure, the arm 82 is shown disposed at an obtuse angle with re-' spect to the actuator block, being, tensioned to thisposition by spring 92. It is also apparent that the peripheries of rollers 87, 88 on said actuator block arm are tangent with the arc a b, andthat the periphery of the rollfcarriage trunnion 30 is also tangent with this arc. The object of this is to permit said rollers to pass the said trunnions and enter intermediate the same and the cams 103. Note also in this figure, that the roller 84 is in contact with cam surface 107' on. the motion transmitting lever 107 and that the detent 104 has not yet shifted From thisvfigure, itwill be seen that the roller88 isprojecting under the carriage trunnion 30, and that this roller '103 forces the roller 88 under the trunnion 30 so that the latter lies between rollers 84'and 88,. The roller 84 hearing against cam surfaces 107, on lever 107 forces the latter outwardly, carrying the detent 104 out of the path'of travelof trunnion 30, permitting the roll carriage to be advanced as shown in F ig ure 8 across the adjoining track run. As the carriage trunnion moves away from the de- 7 tent .104, the latter under tension of spring swings back into the track run and into V the path of the succeeding roll carriage trunnions to arrestmovement ofthe latter.

section 38,. 39 at the exit ends of the front and rear track runs 40, 41 providing pairs of detents in transverse;arrangement. The free ends 117 of said detentsextend into said track runs providing abutments or stops for the roll carriage trunnions 80 after the roll carriages are traversed across the curtaln display and rewlndlng areas A and B and are ring again to Figure 8, attention is invited to the fact that the trunnions 30 of the roll carriages are held between the rollers 85, 88 on the actuator blocks 70, 71 and are discharged from therebetween as said actuator A detent 115 is pivoted at 116 on each track arc 0%(1, Figure 5. The relation of the de-' tents 115 with respect to the axes" of sprockets 57, 5 8, 59 and 60is such that the said rollers 85 ca'rry thecarriagetrunnions'30 a short disdischarged from the actuator blocks. Refer- 115 tance;beyond' the point where the latter are released from the said rollers, as'indicated "in dotted line position at 30 m Figure '5, this overriding oi the carriage trunnionsipermitting the detents to swing back under the carriage trunnions 30 before the latter are released. These detents are forced'back to the position shown by means of coil springs "11 8 engaging extensions v119 on said detents and 'retainedjby pins 120 on said track sections.

Ilv'lovement of said detents is limited'by'means of pins 12L carried thereby and abutting :pins 122 on said track sections.

.In Figure 1, it willbe noted that the actua ;torfhlocks'7O and 71 are spaced equally apart on the conveyor chains 72, 7 3 and ithatthe former. are arranged in transverse alinement, so thattthe escapement :means arranged on each'said'tra'cl: section is operated simultaneously,thereby keeping the roll carriages in transverse aline-ment and" parallel relation permitting uniform stretching ,ofthe curta'ins 3 across the display area A.

The lines A Band CD before referred ito extend axially through the entrances to the curtain display and rewinding areas A \and'B. Lines EF and GH, Figures '13, Ji4,"15.and1l6 extend. axially through the trunnions 30' on the roll carriages at the points Where'the latter are retained by detents 115 at the ,exits of the curtain display and rewinding-areas A and B; Hence it'is obvious that the spaces intermediate lines AB, GIH and OD, constitute respectivly the curtain display and rewinding areas'll. and B and the spaces above and below said end-track runs 13 E, and 'GH G-D form the end magazines 'in which the roll-carriages are accumulated or nested. I

'The roll carriages by means of the actuatingjmeans and escapement mechanism describedare successively conveyed across the curtain rewinding and display 'areasiA and B, More specifically, a pair of rolls is engaged and released from the upper magazine space referred to at the entrance to display area "A and simultaneously a pair of rolls is engaged and released from the lower magazine space referred to. These pairs of rolls are simultaneously traversed acrossthe displayiandirewinding areas A and B, and are simultaneously discharged into said maga- Zine spaces at the errit ends of the display and re' inding areas A and B. The actuator blocks which engage and convey the roll carriages, ride over the sprocketsfi'? 58, .59 and '60 intermediate the endmagazines, by ineans o'f which roll carriages are simultaneously discharged into the magazine space referredto and other .roll carriages are engaged and released from the other ends of saidmagaZin-e spaces and aretraversed across the "curtain display and rewinding areas A By means of thisform of construcis released from ratchet alinenient with said rolls.

tion, the display curtains-are 'displayed'one after the other'across' the display area Ain intcrinitent time'd relatiointhe period of intermittency being the time required forsaid actuator "blocks to travel over the said sprockets fronr'roll carriage discharge to roll carriage displayposition, as hereinafter de- The curtains "3 are timed in transit so that they are rolled up on rolls 1 at the entrance the curtain display area A, and roll from of said rolls eachsaid pair of rolls ti versesthe display:area A,'andthe curtains displayedzare subsequently rolled upon rolls 2 of eachsucceeding pair of rolls. This timt tion' is .hroughtabout by means of the iets 23onthe rollsl and Q-andthepawls hich mesh with and control rotation of d 'rat'hets. "These paWls are released 1': cl; section 38gand trackl2t ontrack section tracks are in the form of projectrons @Ii'iGi'lCilIl iat-erall inwardl ifrom said I h track sections-and in line Wit-hi'the 'paths'of F1 rent) "Traci; 123-extends 'trom-a rpoint lfao a SllOKiLtllSidilCfiUIltlQlllIlQE-F, around springs 1 therein 'so that the latter ..in opera tron tend to i turn the "rolls in the directions indicatedb the arrows w in Fi 'ures1'3'and 71D '14. 'In't'hese' figures,lbotli rolls 1 andi2 of'the pair 0'1"" rolls a are shown "free tomotate under spring winding tension. the ,pawls' 24 being released from ratchets23, t-liisibeing effected by pavilroiiers' 27bearing'againstqsaidtracks 123, 124. 'Roll'l of the paiixof rolls 6 atthe exit end of'thefdisplayarea Ais locked against rotation, sincegthe pawl roller 27 has runoff of'the end 128" ottra-ck 1.23 and the p,a\vl.24l is iniengagement .with ratchet 23. Roll 2 of (this pair of rolls is'shown free torrotate in Figure 14 sincethe )awladioininp'said roll a ,Q t z:

2;) thereon, the ,roller 27 on sald pawl bearing against track 124.

Note that the-cam 29 on r0112 on the succeedin 1r of ro ls 0 is directed downwardly.

Th1 vis hroug tlahout due'to the location of tastenm points orl1nes of the curtalns with respect to said rollsfl. Under Winding torqit-ze of rolls, which arehightensiened,

the curtainsiare woundrup tight on saidro'lls when moved to'the position occupied by the pair of rolls 0, and the curtains pull in axial As the pair of rolls a is-release'd frompthe'position occupied atthe entrance'to the disriiayarea Aand is ran 'said-ratchets by'means creme 123cm cl of thepawlrollers 27,bestshown in the curtain connected thereto and removes I 7 traversed thereacross, as shown in Figure 15,

the succeeding pair ofrolls lowers to the position previously occupied by the pair of rolls a, and the cam 49 on roll 2 contacts with roll 125 supported by bracket arm 126, which is mounted just below the plane denoted by the line AB on track section 38." This roll 125 serves to tilt cams 29 upwardly, thereby bringing the curtains 3 tangent with the surfaces of rolls 2, this being necessary to bring the curtains 3 into vertical alinement so that they appear to travel in the same vertical plane. These cams also serve to prevent the rolls 2 from turning so that the curtains 3 are unrolled from oil 01' rolls 1 and are stretched across the display area A. Roll 2 of the pair of rolls a, being free-to rotate, winds up no same from thedisplay area A, roll 1 to which the other end of the curtain is attached being held from rotatlon by pawl 2 1 engaging ratchet 23 thereon.

Pawls 2l are released from ratchets 23 permitting rotation of rolls 2 when the latter are traversed around through the lower magazine space. i Note in Figures 14 and'16 that the pawl 24. is released from the ratchet 23 on roll 2 of the pair of rolls (Z at the entrance to the curtain rewindin'g'area B, and that the pawl 25% is released from ratchet 23 on'roll 1 of the preceding pair of rolls, indicated at c, and located at the exit end of ihe'rewinding area B. As the pair of rolls d, advanced across the curtain rewinding area b, (see Figures l5, pawl 24: engaging ratchet 23 on roll '1 prevents the latter roll from winding up, so that the curtain 3 is unrolled from of? of roll 1 of the following pair of rolls 7. At

the exit otthe rewinding area, the high tensioned roll 1 of the pair of rolls 6 rolls up the curtain 3 thereupon so that the curtains are rolled up on the roll 1 or'high tensioned rolls of the pairs 0t rolls advancingto-the entrance of the curtain/display area A. The

high tensioned roll 1 of each pair of rolls is free to rotate when travelling through the I 'u-ppermagazine space. In thls manner, the

timing actions of the curtains 3 are controlled in unison with the actuation of the roll car-- riages throughout the closed cycle of movement. i p

Prior to operation of the machine, the rolls 1 and'2 are wound up manually a sufiicient number of revolutions to stretch the'curtains :3 taut across the display area A, and also so that rolls 1 are so tensioned that they exert approximately %]greater winding torque than rolls 2. The said rolls are wound up so that they normally tend to turn or rotate in opposite directions or in other words, rolls 1 tend to turn counter clockwise and rolls 2 clockwise, the teeth on the ratchets 23 on the respective rolls 1 and 2 being formed in 0 posite directions so that when engaged with pawls 21 they are restrained from'rotation speed reducing unit and chain drive over,

sprocket 127 on the end of said line shaft. Since sprockets 57 and 58 are keyed to the shaft 56, the conveyor chains 7 2, 7 3'are driven at a uniform speed, and the actuator blocks 70, 71v on each said conveyorchain are in con stant motion through a closed cycle oftravela By means of the two actuator blocks 70,171

arranged in equidistant spaced relation on said conveyor chains, roll carriagecoupling and discharging actlons at the extremities of the machine are simultaneous and one 'roll carriage is being traversed downwardly across the display area A, while another roll carriage is being conveyed upwardly across the rewlnding area B. Thusit will be seen that the cycles of actions are constant and that the driving forces of the conveyor chain 72', 73 are substantially balanced, providing a very unliorm operating machine.-

Assuming that a pair of rolls 1, 2 is about to enter the display area A and another-pair of rolls 1, 2 is about to enter the rewinding area B, the relation of the several pairs of rolls will be substantially as shown in Figure 13, the pairs of rolls referred to being indicated at aand b.- The actuator blocks 7 0, 71011 conveyor chain 72, 73 may occupy the position shown in Figure 5 on each sprocket 57, 58, 59, 60, that is to say the actuator blocks have ust completed a roll carriage discharg in g 3 operation. These actuator blocks then ride over the said sprockets and approach the pairs of rollsa and d and the rollers 84 on said actuator blocks coact with cam services 107 on 'motion transmitting levers 107 following coupling action of the rollers 85,,88'on the actuator block arms 82 with the roll carriage trunnions 30. The motion transmitting levers are then pressed outwardly,

swinging the detents'104 out of the paths of travel of the roll'carriage trunnions 30, and the latter, now securely coupled to the actuatorblocks, are conveyed by said actuator blocks into the curtaindisplay and rewinding areasAand B.

- As the pair-of rolls a lowers from the position occupied in Figure 13 into the display area A, the succeeding pair of rolls 0 through 7 force of gravity'and bearing against the pair of rolls alowers also inunison with the travel of the latter and abut the detents 1041, by which said pairof rolls is restrained in position at the entrance to the display area. During the'lowerin'g movement of said pair'of rolls a, cam 29 on roller 2 coacts'with roller .;-12'5aand thelatteriorces said .icam to tilt upwardlyisoithat thecurtain 3-iconnected to the roll .1 of "the preceding pair of .rolls .0: will apullitangentiallyifrom roll 2 of the pair of quently-zacross the display; area A.

.Atzthe'same time, the pair of rolls d moves :up wardlya and dueto the winding tension of soils 22 0f; the following pair of rolls f, the wlatterrpair ct -rolls is pulled upwardly until ithe -same'rare arrested by :the pair of detents :zlmmediately after pair of rollsd starts .tdmovempwardly across thev rewinding area B, pawl rollers27lruns off theend 1245" of track i2 1: and iapawl' 24aengages ratchet 23 on roll .2-aot-said .pairof rolls, thus preventing said troll tfrom :winding up, due to the rather re- :nioteipossibility of :foreign matter entering the bearings of and hampering the rotating action of rroll 1 of'the preceding pair of :rolls 6.

During rmovement-o'f the pairs of rolls a and b zacross the curtain display and rewindtingiareas Aiand B, curtain '3 is unrolled from oll ofrroll :1 ot' the pairwof rolls-(z traversing roller 1125.

the display area A, and this roll, exerting greater pullingttorce on thecurtain stretched ":ElIGI 'QhGlllNGQIl-flll'ilT01]. f the pair-of rolls 0 than thew-said roll 2, pulls said curtain taut and-holds the-cam 29 on said roll2against the The preceding curtain stretched ibetweenxroll2otzthe pair of rolls a and. roll 1 on the preceding pair otrolls' bisbeing wound rnp-on-sai'dilow tensioned roll.2 because the .-high tensi'one'd. roll lot-the pair of rolls bis -l'6St-I'2l2l116d from turning by the pawl .2 en- .fga-g'ingi ratchet '23: on said latter roll. At the same timeyro'll 1 ofithepair otrolls3 is winding up. the curtainstretched between the same faindrrollz2 o'tutne pair'of rolls (Z, pulling the "curtain in line with the axis ofzthe last men- "tioned roll, due to the variation in winding torque-betweenthe rolls-1 and.2. Roll 1 of the'cpair of-rrolls (Z intransitbeing' held from rotation, runrolls the curtain interconnecting tl e same and roll 2 of the following pair of rolls stationary at the entrance to the rewvinding" area B'itrom off of the latter roll. tliust-prior to discharge oi the pairs of rolls which have t-raversed'the display and rewinding-zareasi-ivand B into the end magazines to. be .retainedat the exit ends otthe front and rear itraokruns by the two pairs of detents 1:15., roller 27 on pawl 24 engaging'roll 1 of thepair :of rolls at the-exit end or" the display area Aa-runs *fromofi ot theend 123 of track "123 so that ust assoon as said pair of .rolls-stops,:roll-1will;be locked by said pawl and ratchet-and the Winding force of said roll will be arrested, so that roll 2 oi the tollowing pair of rolls will pull and hold the curtain 3 stretched acrossthe display area taut and will wind the same up as that succeeding 'pair'of rolls is traversed across the display area the sea-111.29 onsaid roll 2 turnin 'awa i 7 it) from roller 125in clockwise direction. Simultaneously, roller 2'? on pawl 2% engaging ratchet .23 .on roll 1 of the pair ofrolls ad- 'anced towardthe exit end of the rewinding areaiB rides up on end 123* of track 123, re-

leasing this roll 1, so that immediately the succeeding pair of rolls begin to traverse the curtain rewinding area B, roll 1 ofthe pair of rolls at the exit end of therewinding area B begins to roll up the curtain 3 stretched across said rewinding area.

Thepositlon of the actuator blocks 70, 71 at the exit ends of the display "and rewlnding .areas A and B is illustratedby actuator block 70 in Figure 5. To facilitate comprehension of this action, attention is invited to Figure 9 shown undertension ofsprings 92 to clear trunnion rollers 30, and permit the latter to be carried or propelled past the en'ds'ot detents 115 which subsequently swing back under said trunnions and retain the roll carriages. r

The 7 roll carriages after 7 having traversed the curtain display and rewinding areas A andB abut the roll carriages at the exit ends .of the display-and rewinding areas A and B and propel the adjoining roll carriages around throughsaid magazine spaces, there being justsufiicient clearance inthe magazine spaces to allow free shifting of the roll carriages. 7

Attention is' also directed to the fact that pawls 2st retaining the ratchets 23 on rolls 1 are released when said .rolls are advancing from the exit end of the curtain rewinding arearound through the upper magazine space nand'downwardly across the curtain display area to substantially a point where the roll carriages are discharged into the lower magazine space. This enables the rolls 1 to 1'0- tate and perform a give and take action on the curtains 3, and alsotoprevent excessive wear of the-ratchets and pawls and to prevent noise, whichwouldiresult it' these parts were permitted to coact while traversing these spaces. For similar reasons rolls 2 are released while=travel1ingJtroinpoints just above the entranceto the display area A downwardly and around through the lower magazine space to the entrance of the curtain'rewinding area B. Q I i The cycle of actions described are identical with respect to transit and timing operations I of the several pairs of rolls, which thustravel through a closed cycle of movement. i

Thus it will beobserved that the pairs of rolls in traversing the curtain display area A unroll one curtain out over the said dis-' play area while the curtain therebelow is being simultaneously wound up. Since these curtain unrolling and rolling up actions, take place behind bars 16 which conceal the actions of the-curtain rolls fromview; when only and whereby these bars, all of which are:

identical, enter the display area A; and-tral verse the same oneafter the other','produces most novel eifectand one which enables the observer to read the subject matter on'the curtains in a customary direction or'manner of reading. w a l; g

By utilization of anti-friction rollers on the roll carriage actuating means and on the lat-' ter, andby balancing the weight of said roll carriages by having the rolls 1 and 2 thereof arranged axially inaplane intersecting the;

centers of the front and rear track'runs and tangential with the pitch diameters of sprock- .ets 57; 58, 59 and 60, a balanced and very V modate for very efiective and simple illumi- V V pathiremote from said'display area back' 'to uniform operating machine is providedi iEurthermore, the arrangement whereby the curtain display and' rewinding'areas A and B: are disposed in spaced relation pro vides a'space intermediate the same to accomnating means; v I

The foregoing analysis will so fully reveal the gistvof thisinvention, that others can, by applying current mechanical knowledge, readily adapted it tofvarious applications without omitting certaingfeatures of the generic or specific aspects'of this inventiomand therefore allsuch adaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within the meaning and range of equivalency of the i01 lowing claims. V lVhatI claim is: 1. In a display machine, the combination of a plurality of pairs of rolls; a carriage for each pair of rolls movablein a closed cycle of movement to carry said pairs of rolls intermittently from starting position in one pathacross a display area and ma return path remote from the display area backto starting position; curtains connecting the rolls ofsaid pairs'of rollsin a closed series;

timed mechanism for actuating said carriages intermittently across the display area andthe return path; and timed mechanism to l eilectunrolling of the curtain from the first roll of a pair oi rolls moving across the display area and rolling up the curtain previously unrolled on the second rollof the pair of rolls moving across the display area and eliecting reverse curtainrolling' and unrolling operations during movement of the pairs of'rolls in the return path whereby the curtains are rolled on the first roll of the pair of rolls moving to starting position.

2; In. a display. machine, the combination oi a plurality of pairs of rolls; a carriage for each said pair of rolls movable in a closed cycle-of movementto carry said pairs of rolls intermittently from starting positionin one path across a curtain display area and in a return path across a curtain rewmdmg area 'ba'ckto starting position; curtains connecting the rolls of said pairs of rolls in a closed series; timed mechanism to'advanc'e said carriages one'by one across the curtain display and 'rewinding' areas and intermittently hold saidcarriages at the extremities and exits of the curtain display and rewinding" areas; and timed mechanism to effect unrolling of the curtain from the'first roll of the pair of rollsmoving across the display area and rolling up'the curtain previously unrolled on the' se'coiid roll of the pairof 'rollsmoving across-the display area and efi'fectingreverse curtain rolling and 'unrolling operations during movement of the pairs of rolls across *the curtain rewinding *area whereby the curtains are rolling on the first roll of the pairs ofrollsmoving to starting position 3. In display machine, the combination ota plurality of pairs of rolls; a carriage foreach said pair ofrolls movable in a closed. cycle of-movement to carrysaid pair of rolls intermittently from starting pos'it'i on'in one path across'a display "area and-in areturn starting position; curtains connecting the rolls of'saidfp'airs ot'roll's in closed-series; timed mechanism for moving said carriages across the display area and return path; means te'nd'-- ing to wind said rolls and timed meansfor holding said rolls from winding;l said timed means holding 'thefirst'roll of the pair of rolls preceding that pair of rolls moving;

across the display area from winding and whereby the second roll of the pair'of rolls 7 moving across the display area is free towind and one curta n is being unrolled from one roll 'otthe pair of rolls moving across the display area and the curtain previously displayed being rolled'on the second rollot the pair of rolls moving across the display i t. In a display machine, thecombination of a" plurality of pairs of rolls; a carriage 

